Real Time Analysis (RTA)

In winter testing it is necessary to verify that the performance of a modern vehicle meets the automative standards. To achieve this goal, vehicles are tested in different conditions. These conditions include different maneuvers on different surfaces and varying temperatures.

The surfaces range from deformable texture (sand, gravel, mud and snow) to homogeneous surfaces with different coefficient of friction when in contact with the tires (ice, wet tiles, wet asphalt, dry asphalt, etc).

To be able to compare vehicles and refer to standards, there is a specification to test the vehicles. the results of these tests, when systematically evaluated, are a set of data which can be plotted in a graph. To be able to get this data, we need to instrument the vehicles.

Data collection in vehicles has evolved significantly in the last two decades, especially the logging. Sensors, such as temperature and pressure, are attached to their targets and long wires transmit their information to data loggers. These recorders are fast computers that can record many more analog signals and what is more important, communicate with the CAN (Controller Area Network) bus of the vehicle. The CAN bus is a two-wire network that allows the controllers in the car to communicate with each other. Modern data loggers can record hundreds of sensors and state information from the different controlles of the car via the CAN bus. These include wheel speeds, engine speed, signal lights, etc. The logger are able to send data over the Internet in real time if the test tracks have a WiFi-coverage.